Hybrid training for quality assurance and food safety programs designed for small-scale food processors and distributors

Developing and implementing required Food Safety Plans can be very challenging, especially for small and very small processors and for processors that historically have been subject to limited oversight, such as raw fruit and vegetable processers and small-scale distributors (i.e. food hubs). Many of these processors have limited resources, and their knowledge about food quality and safety systems may be inadequate to implement a robust food safety system. The lack of knowledge about the overall food quality assurance system may hamper the development and implementation of the required Food Safety Plans. The goal of this proposal is to bridge the knowledge gaps in food quality and food safety that may hinder small and very small processors from successful development and implementation of robust Food Safety Plans. This will be accomplished through the development of online course material on key concepts in food quality assurance and food safety. The online course material will be supplemented with in person hands-on workshops to demonstrate key concepts such as sanitation and environmental monitoring. Additionally, an online "interactive" module will be developed based on the in person hands-on workshop. A direct comparison of learning between the in-person and online interactive module will be conducted to evaluate the utility of such tools in training programs for small-scale food processors. All materials will be developed in both English and Spanish to have a broad impact on small-scale food processors and distributors.Objective 1: Develop and launch online learning modules related to FSMA PCHF and QA Program implementation in both English and SpanishObjective 2: Develop and conduct in-person workshops to demonstrate key implementation strategiesObjective 3: Build an interactive learning tool to mimic in-person workshops and compare learning outcomes between in-person and online training